Long Beach resident and veteran Jeff Rombouts was presented the first ever “‘Heroes’ Black Belt Project” scholarship by Heroes’ Hearts.

The scholarship is meant to help veterans who used to practice martial arts, get back into the self-defense artform. Rombout was presented to Heroes’ Hearts by Century Villages at Cabrillo, a nonprofit that helps Long Beach community members and veterans find affordable housing.

Rombouts was awarded at the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame, an annual event in Los Angeles. The scholarship, a book and a bracelet was presented by Gordon Richiusa and Jim Thomas, director and operator of the Martial Arts Museum in New Mexico.

Heroes’ Hearts is a nonprofit organization that aims to help those who have experienced some form of trauma or suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. The organization intends to award a new veteran every year.